Turning 40, Part 1: Dan Is 40 Now

My husband, Dan, and I are both turning the big 4-0 this year. Technically, Dan is already forty, and I quit having birthdays after age thirty-five.

Seriously, folks, I don't know what forty is like yet, so don't ask. I have until June. Dan turned forty last week, but he doesn't have much insight either.

I felt bad for Dan at first. Fortieth birthdays are supposed to be spectacular. But I have never been able to come up with creative party ideas, and I don't stay up past 9:30 most of the time anyway now that I'm approaching forty.

In the end, I shouldn't have worried. My crazy family took care of the funny turning forty stuff. In fact, Dan pretty much celebrated his birthday for an entire week.

You may remember this photograph from last weekend's post.

Over Easter weekend, we were visiting family, and they gave him cake and a few gag gifts. My brother and his wife gave Dan a Star Wars card with a talking Yoda and light-up candles you can blow out. Once the candles are out, the Star Wars theme plays.

"Whoa, this cool!" Dan said.

It was the most excited reaction he had to anything he received this year (and probably ever).
My dad also insisted on giving Dan toilet targets. (My stepmother wanted to make sure I knew it was my dad's idea and not hers.) Dan is actually thinking about trying them out sometime. Good grief . . .

 

A few days later, his real birthday arrived, and he got more awesome gifts from his wife. 

The following weekend, we had barbecue for dinner (obviously his choice since I'm practically a vegetarian), and we went to two movies of his choosing. (See the titles below, and you will know why I say "his choosing.")

Birthday Movie #1: The Fate of the Furious

Birthday Movie #2: Logan

The day after Dan's birthday, my boss also turned forty.

"Is he having as much trouble with it as I am?" my boss asked me.

"I don't know. I never can tell with Dan. He doesn't really have trouble with anything."

That afternoon, I sent a picture of my boss’s decorated office to Dan.

"Just be glad no one did this to your cubicle," I texted.

"Yet another reason not to tell people at work about my birthday," Dan texted back.

Oops! I guess now they all know. 

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Best. Weekend. Ever.

Best. Weekend. Ever.

I say this a lot, so I'm not sure whether or not you will believe that it was the "Best. Weekend. Ever.," or if I just had an extra shot of espresso right before I typed it.

I also arrived late to the put-a-period-after-every-word-to-add-emphasis party, so I apologize in advance to all of my friends who will be getting three-capitalized-punctuated-word comments from me on Facebook for the next few months.

If last weekend wasn't the Best. Weekend. Ever., it definitely ranked in my top five.

And why?

Last weekend, I was able to visit my brand new baby nephew, my almost-two-year-old nephew, my nieces on my husband's side, celebrate my husband's 40th birthday in a sort of funny way (more on that later), and celebrate Easter with my family.

When my almost-two-year-old nephew was born, you might remember he was one of the highlights of my summer that year. Nowadays, this particular nephew is obsessed with vacuum cleaners, brooms, and lawn mowers. He is growing into quite the character.

Since I can't quite put my Best. Weekend. Ever. into words, I thought I would show it. Enjoy!

THE BEST WEEKEND EVER (When Words Aren't Enough)

 

  

 

 

 

  

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Ain't It Good To Know?

Every year, I choose one pop song for my choir to sing. Usually, I choose a song the kids recognize, like "On Top of the World" by Imagine Dragons or "In Summer" from Frozen. (No "Let It Go" in our repertoire so far.)

This year, I found a two-part choral arrangement of Carole King's "You've Got a Friend." I figured the kids wouldn't be familiar with it, but I was in a Carole King mood after seeing the touring production of Beautiful this year. And we kind of claim her here in Idaho.

Carole King's music also resonates on a personal level with me. I mentioned in a previous blog post that the Tapestry album may be one of the reasons I became a vocalist and music teacher.

"You've Got a Friend" holds a special place in my heart. My mother, father, brother, and I went to a James Taylor concert several years ago. James Taylor, who could probably be credited with making the song famous, performed all of his greatest hits, including this one. It was the last concert I remember attending with my mother.

When I introduced the piece to my choir, the kids thought I meant "You've Got a Friend in Me" from Toy Story, a totally cute song. I might track down a choral arrangement of it in a year or two.

I started out by playing the choir my Carole King recording. I half-expected the kids to scrunch up their noses. I mean, this song is not even from their parents' generation. It's more than likely from their grandparents' generation.

By the end, the children were sweetly singing along with the chorus. One fifth grade boy was copying all of King's vocal gymnastics with such sincerity, I almost teared up.

"Wow! That is a good song!" the kids exclaimed. "Why don't they play songs like that on the radio anymore?"

I shared my amazement at the kids' enthusiasm with some of my colleagues.

"You've taught them to appreciate quality music," one teacher said. "They recognize the good stuff when they hear it."

In one of my classes, the kids were still talking about the song, and an oblivious non-choir boy started singing, "You've Got a Friend in Me."

"That's a different song. It's written by Randy Newman and from the movie, Toy Story," a choir boy explained to him. "This is a song by Carole King, and it was recorded in the 1970's. Right, Mrs. Duggan?"

Right!

For the latest blog updates, visit and "like" Rebecca Turner-Duggan.